Was charged with 3 offences of gross indecency against my former stepdaughter last month.Have just been charged with a furthur 7 offences including rape today.
I'm innocent,but what can you do to help defend yourself? Are there any organisations worth consulting...along with the legal aid solicitor I already have?
These allegations refer to 1999/2000....the first 3 were made end of 2002...I was abroad,so had no knowledge.
These origional statement mentioned october/november 2002...but when charged they stretched it to the whole of 2000.The 7 new ones cover some of 1999,as well as 2000.
Not got a hope in hell of finding an alibi for that whole period.The duty solicitor seems to think these new allegations are a bit flimsy,but they charged because it now appears you're guilty until you can prove otherwise.
I'm quite sick with diabetes,this stress is making me ill,so any ideas will be appreciated.

Dear Innocent - a longer and more detailed suggestion will follow and if you'd like to e-mail me on KingOfHits@aol.com I'll try to give more specific advice.

For a start I suggest you make a cup of tea and watch Vile Pervert: The Musical - whilst it will depress you it will also hopefully amuse you and cheer you up but most important it will warn you about some of the tricks they use.

www.VilePervert.com

There are ways now that you can challenge this - do not fall for the Plead Guilty trick that lawyers will urge on you. You need to discover why these false allegations are being made - and I stress we are accepting your word they are false. Misunderstanding or deliberate?

You need to get over the suffocating depression that falls on your shoulders. We tend to shrug our shoulders and give up - so enormous is the pressure. Don't.

There are organisations that help in this and you do need a good experienced solicitor who specialises in this area - I suggest Chris Saltrese in Liverpool. At least speak to him and get his advice.

More later.

I wrote to Chris Saltrese when I needed to appeal after my own inexperienced legal aid team failed to challenge the allegations. Problem was that I had zero income and each visit to him would have cost me over £50 just for the travelling. When you have no or low money, getting justice is almost impossible. I've still been unable to find a solicitor experienced in this area.

I agree about fighting the depression, but it does wear you down when you keep hitting brick walls.

In my case like many others there was no evidence at all, and one offence which allegedly took place within a five year period. One thing of relevence my otherwise hopeless barrister told me was that it is very difficult to prove something did not happen, especially when the prosecution do not have to prove that it did.

The large number of charges relating to a single alleged ofence is often purely to impress the jury. Truth, justice and human rights are of no importance. It's all about winning the case.

My own conviction was 15 years ago. I was given a four year sentence, but that was effectively extended to life via the sex offenders register without any further judicial review.

Even for the wealthy it's an uphill task. For the poor it's virtually impossible.

I get so many heart breaking messages from people who have suffered - and are suffering - from false allegations.

We must be realistic - some will be lying and some accusations will be true. But even then we all know they will be exaggerated or inflated or coloured by the police and CPS (and, sometimes, publicists).

The prime intention here is to change the law and change public opinion. Not easy.

But there are ways of dealing with it and I've been able to help quite a few falsely accused. Indeed, during my time inside I helped get 12 wrongful convictions overturned.

Not a lot in 3.5 years but better than nothing.

The law says that without evidence then it is impossible to convict anyone of a crime. It has to be proved beyond reasonable doubt.

Sad to say when the Police put an incident from 10 years ago into court the chance of any evidence existing is nil.

If you are innocent then you will know that no evidence will exist. Therefore I suggest being strong about this and basically use the lack of any evidence as a defence. They HAVE to prove beyond reasonable doubt.

I dont agree with you that you have to prove your innocence. That is the "trick" the system has already played on you. They have to PROVE that you have committed an offence(s). Not on probability - but beyond reasonable doubt.

If they dont have any primary evidence ( and rely on circumstantial or just one word against yours ) then it would be wrong to convict you of anything.

I therefore suggest you find lawyers who will take that line.

I sympathise totally with your situation. It is sad that the real perpertrators of abuse often get away with it because they are involved in the authorities.

Even though a large number of allegations are probably true, I think there can be no doubt that the system is no longer fairly balanced. Successive governments over the past few decades have become so afraid of being labelled as weak that they have eroded the burden of proof and presumption of innocence until the odds have become so stacked in favour of the accuser that now nobody receives a truly fair trial. The entire burden of proof is now on the defence and, as has often been pointed out, you cannot prove you did not touch someone at some stage in the past.

Today we have a Justice Minister who presumes all citizens to be criminals unless proven otherwise, while ruling that evidence of his government's involvement in mass murder be kept hidden.

Thanks you,have sent an email to you,with my name as the title in case it hits the spam filter.
Have also found the solicitors you mentioned online,and will send them a mail today.

I am first to say the system is knackered.

BUT the law is still the law. In addition we are still all innocent until proven guilty.

As citizens of the UK we must all believe that in our hearts - and we must act likewise......otherwise the NWO has won.

In many parts of the World "People Power" is overturning these ridiculous policies and PC ideas and NWO attempts to gain power.

What they have done by calling us ALL criminals is to make us ALL angry - and when we act together they cant stop us because THEY are a minority who dont represent you and I.

Therefore dont try to PROVE YOUR INNOCENCE. Get out a drink and put your feet up. Tell your solicitor to get the EVIDENCE against you. If there is none - then demand that the trial does not go ahead. I believe there are hearings in magistrates courts where this can be done. Beware the LEGAL SYSTEM trying to get you to go to court - they want MONEY. This is a problem.

However your lawyers must represent your wishes. Therefore if there is no evidence then you should not go to court. You should dig your heels in.

It is time PEOPLE STOOD UP to these wrongful arrests and fake trials.

Fight for your rights - if you just lie down and shut up and accept that this is the "way that it is" then you will be rolled over and find yourself in a cell. That is what happens to the majority of decent people who end up in the "system" whilst the criminals carry on and have a field day every day.

We cant mend the system - but as innocent people we should be able to use the law to protect ourselves.

Challenge every step of the legal process. There are often massive mistakes made by the Police in these cases in their haste to bounce you into court before you have time to realise what they have done. I would put money on the fact that the Police will have already made mistakes. Throw a technicality in as soon as possible to undermine their chance of stitching you up - and dont give up on it.

It is time that we all started to demand REAL JUSTICE for all victims of child abuse and victims of false allegations.

take heart innocent Accused and most certainly take JK's advice.

I've had to hand hold several friends through court cases-criminal and otherwise. Innocent or guilty-it's often the whole proces that takes it's toll.

You entering an alien world but the more you are in it-the more famiar the process becomes-the more you can actually concentrate on what really matters-evidence.

(I'd give you one piece of advice-go to your GP and get valium before any court apearance-you want to be as calm as possible)

Most importantly-you muSt have a good criminal solicitor and if JK advises one-I'd take his advice. A solicitor committed to your case is incredibly supportive. And that solicitor will then know the right "Rumpole" barrister. You would be surprised how many lawyers abhor the way the law is used by authorities but they can be twice as clever as a prosecutor. Remember-a prosecutor is just doing his daily job (no matter who corruptly he will use tactics)but the right solicitor takes great pride in doing the very best for his client-he works far harder than the opposition and will know all the tricks they use.

Good luck..keep in touch.

The whole justice system stinks. Just last week Al Fayed found out that he isn't going to be charged for his alleged child abuse, yet it was broadcasted in all the newspapers.

The thing is that I don't really blame the newspapers, however, it must be the police who is leaking the information about well-known people facing charges.

When JK got released, I remember a few people were not happy that JK kept stating he was innocent and more or less told him to shut up. However, if you have been wrongfully convicted, then you have the right to be vocal about your situation. I've said on these forums, that if JK was guilty, he would be keeping quiet.

I wish Innocent Accused all the best.

In fact it's almost brought me to tears reading Innocent Accused posts. The stress, the illness and the feelings of despair are all too familiar.

Keep your head held high IC. Mr King from what I can gather works tirelessly to try and make people more aware of what has become a massive problem, and you've certainly come to the right place if you are looking for support and help.

All the best because from simply reading your initial post I know you are telling the truth. The guilty wouldn't do that.

Thanks guys:)

Nice to know there are people left in the world who don't jump to conclusions.
I'll be following advice I got from here,both legal and supportive.
Will update here after meeting up with my new legal team.